The Kettle Shed's Tea Blog

All About Matcha

Matcha tea is a wonderfully finely ground tea that has a delightful green colour. Traditionally drunk in Japan as part of the ‘Chado’ tea ceremony, matcha tea was originally drunk by Japanese royalty. This unique tea comes with many health benefits and a delicious flavour that any tea lover is sure to enjoy.

Health Benefits

The health benefits of matcha tea really are quite extraordinary. As with any green tea, the drinker can expect to benefit from the wide range of antioxidants that come in every cup. But matcha tea is quite special when it comes to the levels of antioxidants. With approximately 15 times more antioxidants than most green teas, matcha is a super-strong toxin-killing tea that will leave you feeling refreshed and clean. This delicious and delightfully green tea has some great energy boosting properties that give you that burst you need to feel better and get on with your day. What’s more is this tea is an excellent calorie burner too, and that’s something most of us will want to make use of. Add the calorie burning effect on top of the energy boost, and it’s likely you’ll burn a few more calories than you would if you drank an energy drink.

Matcha Tea Origins

Although matcha tea is considered to be a fairly new product in the western world, it has in fact been drunk in Japan for a very long time. Taken from China to Japan almost one thousand years ago, it is rumoured a Zen Monk by the name of Eisai brought the tea seeds to Japan. Since then, Zen Buddha’s have drunk matcha tea to help them focus while they meditate. As well as introducing matcha tea to Japan, Eisai also introduced some Zen philosophies, and some became intertwined with drinking this wonderful tea. Specific preparation and drinking rituals were undertaken in The Way of Tea, which was an important ceremony at that time.

How it should be drunk

Matcha tea cannot be drunk in the same way as other teas because of its flavour and antioxidant properties. To ensure you enjoy your cuppa perfectly, read the following instructions:

1. Warm your mug or cup with got water before pouring the water away. Make sure you also warm you utensils too as it will help to prevent the tea from cooling too quickly.

2. Add around 3 grams of matcha powder per 150 ml of water to you cup/mug.

3. Boil your water and allow it to cool slightly.

4. Add enough the hot water to your cup/mug to just cover the powder and whisk in a forwards and backwards motion so a paste is formed.

5. Add the remaining hot water and continue to stir the tea until you have a smooth and frothy consistency.

6. Make sure you visit our TV page for more ways to enjoy matcha tea.

Top Tip! When you drink this tea, you should ideally sip it, this will make sure you avoid the crash you would usually get with caffeinated drinks. Sipping the tea will also give you more time to enjoy the smooth velvety flavour that has an adorable leafy essence.